WordPress has evolved from being just a simple blogging application to a tool that is now used to design all types of pages – landing pages, product showcase pages, business pages, etc.
Whatever you can think of, someone is probably already building it with WordPress!
In this article you will discover how to create stunning content faster with drag & drop ease in WordPress sites.
Drag & Drop Content Editors For WordPress
Does The Default WordPress Editor Meet All Of Your Web Design Needs?
With so many developments that WordPress has gone through in recent years, many WordPress users and developers feel that the WordPress content editor is more suitable for performing ”linear” content editing (e.g. text running down the page with left-aligned images or videos, etc.), than creating or customizing content elements within more complex layouts.
(The WordPress WYSIWYG editor is great for adding, formatting and editing “linear” content, but adding complex layouts can be challenging!)
For example, if you look at the illustration below …
To create the above boxes with text and buttons, users would normally have to insert short codes into the content for each element they want to display …
Generally, this is not an issue … unless you have to change something in your layout (for example, move part of the content from box 1 into box 2, or change the button inside box 3 from dark green to some other colour. Then, you’re stuck having to mess around with page code.
The WordPress editor is supposed to provide non-technical users with an easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, but as you can see, if you are trying to edit complex content elements, often what you see in the WordPress visual editor may not be the same as what you are getting when your content gets published …
(“What You See” isn’t always “What You Get” … unless you can visualize code!)
In some instances, some people argue that users could be better off working inside the WordPress html (text) editor tab instead of the WYSIWYG editor when trying to build non-linear layouts …
Even though WordPress is extremely easy to use, this makes it hard for non-technical website owners to fully manage their own content.
The fundamental issue of having to use shortcodes and HTML to create content in the default WordPress visual editor can be summarized as follows:
1) Speed – How long will it take to create a page using this editor?
2) Abstraction – How closely does the content in the ”back end” match the “front end” content when you are creating or editing a page?
As you can see from the above image, what you see in the content editor doesn’t look at all like what you see in the front end. This means that you need to mentally translate what your content will look like when working with sophisticated layouts. Other solutions require several steps before you can begin configuring your page layout, or endlessly going back and forth between browser tabs and performing updates to see how your content is progressing, which can interrupt the creative process, as you wait for your updated content to load.
Many WordPress developers have tried to come up with different solutions with the objective of making the visual editor easier. Some of these alternative solutions range from WordPress plugins you can add to your site that add new functionality to the editor, to themes that come with built-in features like drag and drop editing …
(WordPress “drag and drop” editors aim to make content creation easier!)
Some solutions combine so many page-building features, that users end up with complicated-looking front end editors …
Many of these editors work, but they don’t really address the fundamental problem with using HTML and shortcodes as described earlier. Creating, adding and editing sophisticated content elements on a page becomes overly complicated, involves multiple steps and doesn’t match what users expect to see on the “front end.”
If you want to create or edit complex page content quickly, this can become quite frustrating.
Ask yourself this …
If there were no technical constraints, how would you like to build and edit your web content?
Now that you’ve asked this question, imagine this …
- You see something in the content that needs to be corrected so you, just click on the content and start changing it. Your content has been instantly changed.
- You can just drag and drop items on the page, and see them exactly as they will display on the front end without having to mentally visualize any shortcodes or HTML.
- You have an idea for a specific piece of content you would like to create, so you simply start typing, and you build your page on the fly, without delays, no switching tabs, and without having to wait for new content to refresh.
Would this not be the perfect way to create content for your site? Just click-to-edit and drag and drop elements around your page?
(Imagine being able to create complex pages in real-time for your web content with no technical constraints!)
If you are ready to change the way you create content in WordPress site, then here is a plugin that you may want to consider using …
Thrive Landing Pages And Content Builder – Click-To-Edit Drag & Drop Content Builder Plugin For WordPress
Plugin Description
Thrive Content Builder is a truly intuitive click-to-edit drag and drop content and landing page builder plugin for WordPress.
The Thrive Content Builder plugin provides you with a new and exciting way to set up conversion-focused pages on any WordPress website.
Once installed, the plugin adds a visual content editor and a sidebar menu that lets you click, then drag and drop elements to your page …
(Thrive Content Builder adds a new content editor to WordPress)
Thrive Content Builder And Landing Pages is actually a combination of the Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages plugins rolled into one, plus an additional plugin feature called Thrive Lightbox.
Let’s take a look at all of the above and how these exciting features work together to help you easily transform and improve your site and create amazing sales pages and engaging content.
Thrive Content Builder
With this plugin installed easily add content to your web pages using drag and drop elements …
Every element on your web page can be designed with “drag and drop” and “click-to-edit” ease …
Once elements have been positioned on the page, you can continue to further customize or edit these without going through multiple steps or switching tabs …
The built-in functionality of the plugin also lets you create highly attractive landing pages that can also be easily edited …
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder is simple, easy to use, and ideal for all WordPress users at all levels. In fact, designing web pages with Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder installed is so amazingly simple, that the developers guarantee that once you start using it, you’ll never look back!
For more details, visit the plugin site here: Thrive Content Builder
Thrive Content Builder and Thrive Landing Pages were created by the same team that developed Thrive Leads, another excellent plugin for WordPress that we have reviewed on this site.
To read about this plugin, go here:
Benefits Of Using Thrive Content And Landing Page Builder
Here are just some of the benefits of using Thrive Content Builder to speed up content creation:
Fast And Easy To Install And Set Up. Ready To Start Using In Minutes.
Thrive Content Builder installs like any other WordPress plugin. Simply upload it to your Plugins folder via your dashboard and activate.
Create & Edit Content In Real Time
Thrive Content Builder is simple and intuitive to use and lets you build content in real-time.
What You See Is Really What You Get
With Thrive Content Builder installed, what you see as you work within the editor – fonts, visual elements, page layouts, etc. is exactly what your visitors will see in the front end of your site.
Additional benefits of using this plugin include:
- Stunning Page Layouts With Drag-And-Drop Ease: Create any layout you can imagine with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.
- Design Elements Included: With Thrive Content Builder you not only get a visually exciting drag and drop WordPress content editor, but the plugin also includes a collection of design elements that you can insert into your layouts without using shortcodes, like content toggle, styled lists, section dividers, countdown timers, etc.
- Ideal For Non-Technical Users: Not having to constantly switch tabs as you edit your content and then wait for your new content to reload frees up your attention and allows you to be more focused while you work or click through multiple layers of menus to get what you need done.
(Add, edit and customize web page elements like testimonials, tabbed content, star ratings for review pages, section dividers, custom HTML and CSS, etc.)
Features
Thrive Content Builder provides WP users a number of great features. Here are just some:
- Built-In WordPress Content Functionality Is Still Available: You have all of the regular WordPress text editing options that you are used to (e.g. underline, paragraph centering, headings and font sizes, etc.),
- Drag And Drop Multi-Style Elements: The plugin adds a “drag and drop” list of multi-style elements to your post or page screen for editing content.
- Conversion-Boosting Elements: The plugin includes a range of attention-grabbing and customizable elements that will help increase the effectiveness of your sales pages, including buttons and call-to-action elements, testimonials, and guarantees. In addition to customization options, various elements also offer multiple design options.
- Responsive Page Design: Add responsive columns, text boxes, section dividers, e.g. which will display correctly on all different kinds of devices.
- Add Animation To Pages: The plugin’s Event Manager feature lets you add animation in images, trigger lightboxes and more!
(Add Animated Elements To Your Web Pages)
Thrive Landing Pages Plugin – Landing Page Sets
Thrive Landing Pages provides sets of templates that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language to take your visitors from signup to purchase, product download and more.
(Thrive Landing Pages plugin gives you conversion-optimized page templates)
Thrive Landing Pages – Benefits
- Everything is hosted on your own WordPress site
- Save time and money designing web pages for your website
- 100% conversion-optimized landing pages
- No tech skills required
- Works with any WordPress theme
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder not only can be used to create beautiful-looking content in your WordPress posts and pages, but you can also choose from dozens of professionally designed, conversion optimized web page templates and fully customizable …
(Thrive Landing Pages provides sets of templates that work together logically and use the same conversion-optimized design language)
There are over 30 templates available, with more templates being worked on. In addition to the existing templates, expect to see new templates in the future for email lead generation, sales pages, lesson pages, personal branding pages, webinar pages and more.
Fully Customizable And Flexible Landing Page Template Sets
Normally, in order to fully customize a landing page template, you would need to either hire a web designer to do the work, or learn how to code web pages and figure out what to do yourself.
As Shane Melaugh, co-founder of Thrive Themes says …
“There are many ways to get a pre-designed page published quickly, but the problem comes with customization. Total design freedom requires either hiring web developers to do the work for you, or learn how to do it yourself, which involves learning how to mess around with code or use complex editors. Customizable usually means complicated, expensive or time-consuming. So, you can either have something that is fast and easy to set up, or something that is customizable and flexible. But you couldn’t have both … until now! With Thrive Landing Pages you get the best of both worlds for building conversion-optimized web pages.”
Thrive Landing Pages gives you great-looking pre-built web pages that are fully optimized and ready to go, and complete design freedom that lets you change or edit any aspect of your page templates …
The landing page templates included with this plugin let you do the following:
- Change text in all bullet points, buttons, headlines, etc.
- Remove text, images or any other element of the landing page
- Replace the background image or colors
- Edit the color of buttons, links, text, etc.
- Choose your own fonts
- Use your own images and graphics
- Modify content area size
- Rearrange the order of page elements
- Translate pages into a different language
- Add any kind of custom content inside your pages
- Start with a blank web page and create your own page templates, or even build your own custom landing page templates library.
(Change and edit any element of the page)
Thrive Lightbox Plugin – Transform Your Website Into A Powerful Marketing Machine
The Thrive plugin combo also includes the Thrive Lightbox plugin, which lets you add fully configurable 2-step opt-in forms and events to your site …
(Add opt-in forms and animated elements to your web pages with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
Thrive Lighbox 2-Step Opt-in Forms
A two-step opt-in process helps increase your conversion rates. When visitors click on a button or image they are presented with your opt-in form …
(Capture more leads and subscribers with a 2-step opt-in process)
Event Manager
An “event” consists of a trigger and an action. You can make opt-in forms appear when your visitor clicks or hovers their mouse over a button or an image, or when someone scrolls down to a certain point on the page. You can also use the Event Manager to animate attention-getting elements on your web pages, using a range of effects (e.g. zoom in from the page center, slide in from bottom to top, rotate, etc.
(Set up and manage events on your WordPress web site with the Thrive Lightbox plugin)
Lightboxes and events are created automatically for your landing pages, but you also have complete control over events, triggers and design.
User Feedback
Here are some of the testimonials and comments that plugin users have published about the Thrive Content Builder plugin:
“I have had nothing but the best experience imaginable with this tool since I purchased it. This is by far one of, if not the best plug-in I have purchase to date and it has definitely made working with WordPress a whole new experience. Jim Bond”
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“I’m blown away by the plugin. Keep up the incredible, WordPress changing work, guys! Dean Phillips”
Useful Tips
Thrive Content Builder works with any WordPress theme, not just with Thrive Landing Pages. You cannot use Thrive Content Builder to edit content that was not created with the plugin.
You can add short codes inside Thrive Content Builder or Thrive Landing Pages and they will display correctly when published.
Thrive Lightbox works with any content you build with Thrive Content Builder.
Plugin Support
Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder Plugin comes with free updates, new landing templates and upcoming features. The Thrive team is constantly working on adding new features and improving existing ones.
Thrive plugins are really well-supported, and users get lifetime software upgrades, and 1 year unlimited support with their purchase, backed by a risk-free, thirty day, complete money-back guarantee.
This is an exciting product that will just keep getting better.
Software Price
At the time of writing, the pricing information shown below includes all three components described above (Thrive Content Builder, Thrive Landing Pages & Thrive Lightbox):
- Single Site Licensing – This edition lets you install the plugin on a single site. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and one year of unlimited support. Price = $59.00.
- Unlimited Sites Licensing – This edition allows you to set up the plugin on all of your personal sites. Includes full feature set, unlimited updates and 1 year of unlimited support. Price = $87.00.
- Agency License – Use on your domains and on client domains. It includes access to Thrive Content Builder, plus all Thrive Themes & Thrive Plugins. Cost = $247.00 per year.
Please Note: Current pricing for the product can vary, depending on whether there are any promotions or limited-time special offers. The above reflects the current price at the time this content was published. This may not be the actual price set by the software author when you visit the website and you may be shown additional upsells or one-time offers after purchasing.
Check the plugin’s website for the latest price:
Additional Information
The Thrive Content Builder and Landing Pages plugin developers repeatedly assert that the plugin’s architecture gives you the “best of both worlds,” and help bring back the “joy of creating content.”
On the one hand, you have the time-saving benefits of ready-made web page elements and beautiful, conversion-optimized templates that help to speed up page design and content creation, and on the other hand, you have complete control over the design process and the freedom to edit and customize everything on your page, using the plugin’s click-to-edit and drag and drop features, that lets you see how the content you are working on will appear after publishing.
For ”how-to” videos showing how the software works, including installation instructions and tutorials, FAQs, customer help desk, contact details and more, visit the Thrive plugins website.
Download The Plugin …
If you want to edit something, just click on the element and start editing. If you want to change something, you’ll see the change happen immediately. If you want to move something, simply drag it and drop it into its new position. There are no overly complicated steps involved.
If you want to transform and improve your site and create amazing sales pages, streamlined landing pages and engaging content, Thrive Landing Pages and Content Builder delivers an incredible conversion-boosting package with a single, inexpensive plugin.
For full details, visit the plugin website:
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